Revised new edition. Instrumental playing needs imagination, free association, individuality, and joy of experimentation. However, the prerequisite for these artistic freedoms are certain physical and physiological facts that can be described precisely. Their knowledge can open up new creative freedom. In his book, first published in 1972, Gerhard Mantel attempts to clarify concepts located between freedom and arbitrariness in cellistic instrumental pedagogy. His surprising results have since found their way into general string instruction.